Furious Kevin Mitchell says he will finally punish Michael Katsidis for snubbing him when he was an up-and-coming fighter.

The Dagenham star will aim to become a world champion when he fights the 29-year-old Australian for the interim WBO lightweight title on May 15 at West Ham's Upton Park.

But it will not be the first time the pair have come face to face after a frosty meeting at Wembley three years ago.

That night, Katsidis impressed with a thrilling win over Graham Earl, while Mitchell got a solid victory on the undercard.

At the end of the night, Mitchell approached Katsidis and praised him for the win.

But the young Londonder claims Katsidis failed to return the compliment.

"I've always remembered that and it's stuck with me to this day," stormed Mitchell. "His fight against Earl was one of the best I have ever seen, and I went up to him to tell him that.

"But rather than show me the kind of respect that fighters usually have for each other, he looked at me like I was a nobody.

"I couldn't believe it. I was just a young kid who wanted to big up a fighter who'd just put it all on the line.

"I've meet a lot of champions in my time, and his behaviour that night was the worst I have come across.

"From Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Mike Tyson to Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton, they have all been great with loads of time to talk to me, but Katsidis is one arrogant sod. Now it's payback time.

"Until that moment I was one of his biggest fans - but afterwards I was desperate to knock him out.

"Right there and then I thought to myself 'You're going to pay for that'.

"I've been waiting for my chance ever since, so it was an added incentive when Frank Warren offered me the fight.

"One things for sure and that is Katsidis will definitely know who I am on May 15, and he will definitely be giving me respect after I've knocked him out and taken away his title."